Pyongyang: North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held summit talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Pyongyang and signed a treaty on friendship and cooperation, the North's state media reported Friday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lukashenko, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, made a two-day official visit to North Korea on Wednesday and Thursday at the invitation of Kim. During the summit held Thursday, Lukashenko stated that Pyongyang-Minsk ties had been upgraded to a "new stage," while Kim expressed solidarity with the Belarusian leader's policy to "safeguard sovereign rights" on the international stage.

The discussions between the two leaders covered plans to strengthen high-level exchanges and cooperation across various sectors, as well as addressing international and regional issues of "mutual interest," as reported by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Both leaders expressed satisfaction and confidence in the expansion and development of their cooperative ties to benefit their respective peoples.

Kim and Lukashenko signed a treaty on friendship and cooperation, along with several agreements focusing on diplomacy, agriculture, public health, education, and other areas, though details were not disclosed by KCNA. Following the talks, the leaders participated in a photo session and exchanged gifts.

Both Belarus and North Korea have supported Russia's war against Ukraine, using this common stance as a foundation to strengthen their bilateral relations. North Korea and Belarus formally established diplomatic relations in 1992 and have maintained a joint trade and economic cooperation committee since 1995, which was reactivated in May last year. Additionally, North Korea's Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui visited Belarus in October to attend a regional security meeting.